"Going into the game, I thought it was all hype," Suggs said, via Pro Football Talk. "He's only had nine starts and then I'm going down the line at the teams he's playing and I'm like 'OK, all right, he's got some good stats, but we will see.' "

Said Suggs: "When you go in there and you're playing a guy like that, I hate quarterbacks, but that kid is the truth and I have the upmost respect for him. I don't think he needs to hold his head down at all because he's going to play in a few (Super Bowls)."

It's hard to imagine where Suggs was coming from on the hype angle. Assuming this defense watched tape -- even if only from January -- Kaepernick's devastation of the Green Bay Packers and come-from-behind act against the Atlanta Falcons were proof enough.

In the end, only Baltimore's defense found a way to press Kaepernick into questionable decisions in the playoffs, but Suggs -- after seeing him up close -- is convinced this young quarterback is here to stay.